Our Tried & True Meal Train Ideas (with Recipes)

Vanessa M.:  This easy taco recipe is sure to be a meal train hit. The tender, flavorful boneless chuck roast marinates in a blend of spices and cooks hands-free in your slow-cooker. Add flour tortillas to your meal, along with guacamole, shredded cheese, lettuce, onion, and cilantro. From Gimme Some Oven

Vanessa M.:  All the healing comfort of a bowl of chicken noodle soup is built into a casserole, and this dish happens to travel a bit easier too! Egg noodles are cooked in chicken stock, tossed with classic chicken noodle soup ingredients, then topped with a thin layer of mozzarella cheese. From Simple Joy

Vanessa M.:  This is a tasty yet easy meal to bring to someone. It calls for shredded chicken (use rotisserie chicken if you want a shortcut!) mixed with shredded taco cheese and adobo seasoning, wrapped in tortillas. Make a creamy white sauce to pour on top, then sprinkle a thick blanket of shredded cheese. Freeze for your friend to pop in the oven whenever she likes, or bring it over hot to deliver a belly-warming meal. From My Incredible Recipes

christadiserio:  Breakfast is often overlooked when it comes to meal train ideas, but there are great make-ahead breakfast recipes that can be made a day (or more!) early. There's nothing more delicious than this sausage cornbread casserole. It's the perfect combination of sausage, cornbread, egg and cheese. This will be a recipe hit with the whole family - kids included! From Mix and Match Mama

Vanessa M.:  This recipe is made with whole-grain brown rice and packed with veggies. Full of flavor, thanks to the beans, corn, tomatoes, onions, salsa, cheese, and olives, this dish is hearty and delicious. Top with sour cream. This dish is a good new mom freezer meal, for those looking to help stock up for the future! From Taste of Home

Vanessa M.:  If you are looking for hearty, comforting meal train ideas to bring a new mom or sick friend in your life, this easy shepherd's pie will fit the bill. Ground beef is sauteed with onions and garlic, mixed with frozen veggies, and topped with buttery garlic mashed potatoes before baking in the oven. This dish can be made gluten-free. From Iowa Girl Eats

christadiserio:  Make-ahead casseroles are the best meal train meals because they're delicious, filling, and last a few days. This chicken parmesan baked ziti puts a new spin on your typical Italian dish. There's very little prep involved and the dish can be thrown into the oven. Instead of cooking chicken breasts, you can also use rotisserie chicken, which shreds nicely, too. Pair this with a side salad! From Gimme Some Oven

Vanessa M.:  Hearty salads are great meal train ideas, especially for new moms with babies born in the warm summer months. This crowd-pleasing BBQ chicken salad has fresh romaine, corn, black beans, tomatoes, onion, cheese, and chopped chicken breast for a hearty meal in a bowl. Top with BBQ ranch dressing and tortilla strips. From Damn Delicious

Vanessa M.:  This spaghetti casserole is a decadent crowd-pleasing meal train idea that will give the family a nice dinner and probably some leftovers too. It can be brought over cold, frozen, or fresh out of the oven, which gives you a lot of options. Regular spaghetti with meat sauce gets an upgrade with the addition of cream cheese, ricotta, and sour cream with a topping of bubbly mozzarella cheese. From Spend with Pennies

christadiserio:  This creamy cheesy chicken spaghetti is one of my favorite meals to bring new moms, and will be a hit for the whole family. It'll also be super easy for you to make and requires minimal, yet delicious ingredients. Really, the most difficult part is cooking the chicken and the pasta - the rest of the recipe is really just combining everything and sticking into the oven. You can't go wrong with this yummy dish! From The Country Cook

Vanessa M.:  This is the perfect comfort food recipe for a meal train. Brown sugar, paprika, oregano, and garlic create a tasty seasoning for herb and spice chicken. It comes together easily, and can be made in a slow cooker and then transferred to the oven to brown the chicken. From Today's Parent

Vanessa M.:  Bringing a nice-sized batch of chili to a family is always appreciated. Leftover chili is easy to heat up and eat as needed or can be frozen for another night. Pair it with cornbread or a salad, and don't forget to include toppings like shredded cheese, green onion, and sour cream! From Don't Sweat the Recipe

christadiserio:  If you're busy during the day and want an impressive but easy meal to take to someone, this is your recipe - it's a grab and dump chicken crockpot dinner! Serve over rice, salad, or even make tacos. This will generously feed four people with leftovers. From Skinnytaste

Alexandra F.:  If you’re looking for a meal train idea that will make someone feel really special, look no further than this hearty, comforting, absolutely delicious Ina Garten recipe for chicken stew with biscuits. It takes a lot of effort, but is totally worth it. We make it for family occasions big and small, and any time we want to take a special meal to friends or family who could use the extra hand. You can make the stew and biscuits in advance, and keep them refrigerated until the recipient is ready to bake and eat. From Barefoot Contessa

Kelly R:  These light and refreshing lettuce wraps are a nice alternative to casseroles, which tend to be in heavy rotation for meal train meals! A savory chicken filling is tucked inside crisp lettuce cups for a quick and easy dinner. Prepare the filling in advance and provide it with (cleaned and dried!) lettuce, and your friend can heat and serve at dinnertime. From Dinner at the Zoo